Pennies From Heaven? (a Steve Orr Lectionary reflection)

Were you a fan of Sixpence None The Richer? They were a great ‘90s band, and they gave us some great music. If you enjoyed the loopy romance of “Kiss Me” or felt the deep emotion of “Breathe Your Name,” then you might be a fan. And let’s not discount their energetic covers of “Don’t Dream It’s Over” and “There She Goes.” They definitely stand out among the bands of that decade. And they are still on my active playlist.

But, what’s up with that name?

It’s not out of the ordinary for bands to have strange names ... or that seem strange to the uninitiated. But this one, though, is a bit strange even for a band: it’s based on a passage in Mere Christianity, a book by christian apologist C.S. Lewis.

In it, Lewis tells of a situation which most parents will recognize. A child asks his father for sixpence (six pennies). The child explains he intends to use the small sum to purchase a gift ... for the father.

We’ve done something similar: taken the grandkids shopping with their parents’ money ... so they could buy gifts for their parents. We do it because we know the kids don’t have the resources to afford the gifts.

So why do it that way?

Lewis explains that while the father agrees, and gladly accepts the gift, he is certainly not “sixpence to the good on the transaction.” He is, in effect “none the richer” for having agreed to it.

This is how Lewis saw our giving of gifts to God.

Which brings us to the Magi in this week’s scripture from the Gospel of Matthew. After some searching, a sojourn with Herod, and some star-tracking, the Magi eventually found Jesus in a house with his mother, Mary. They knelt down and “opening their treasure chests, they offered Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.”

The gifts of the Magi.

God declares through the prophet Haggai, “The silver is mine, and the gold is mine.” If that’s true, then it’s no stretch to add frankincense and myrrh to the list. It’s been asked and it’s been debated, but I need to raise it, again: ... is it a real gift if we give to God what is already His? Or is it just another instance of sixpence none the richer?

I think at least part of the answer lies in the purpose of the gift.

The Magi were bringing gifts to a king. Their gifts reflected that thinking. Plus, the gold and the frankincense were reflections of the prophecy in this week’s Isaiah passage. These folk had made an effort to ensure their gifts were appropriate. They weren’t thinking about who, ultimately, owned those resources.

For us, it may be just as simple.

The joy and delight on their parents’ faces provides all the reason we need to have our grandkids choose gifts for their parents. There’s something wonderful in just enjoying a gift selected for you by your children. None of us gives much thought to whose money was used to purchase them.

In Matthew 25, Jesus tells us we are to give. There is no “sixpence none the richer” criticism. He says nothing about the fact that He already owns everything. And, if we give to the needy, we are, by His own words, giving to Him.

We become the Magi.

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Pennies from Heaven image: https://www.etsy.com/listing/183387508/pennies-from-heaven-keychain-hand

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READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK
Epiphany Sunday (January 6, 2019)
https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts.php?id=106

Isaiah 60:1-6
Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14
Ephesians 3:1-12
Matthew 2:1-12

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Chart of readings for Epiphany through Transfiguration Sunday (1/6 through 3/3/2019): https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu//lections.php?year=C&season=Epiphany
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Join DaySpring’s Lectionary Breakfast group Friday morning at 8:00 at the Egg and I. An hour of Bible, discussion, laughter, prayer, and food is a great way to start the year!

Blessings,
Steve